[Solved] Sher Shah's Administrative Units: Sarkars and Parganas

Statements about Sher Shah's administration:
1. Empire divided into Sarkars → Parganas.
2. He administered them directly without officials.

[CDS 2014 (I)]

Detailed Solution & Historical Context

Concept

Sher Shah Suri was a master of administrative centralization. He designed a nested hierarchy of territorial units to ensure that even the smallest village was connected to the imperial center.

Authentic Source Evidence

Statement 1 is correct: Sher Shah divided his empire into Sarkars (districts), which were further subdivided into Parganas (village clusters).
Statement 2 is incorrect: He did not rule alone; he appointed specialized officials like the Shiqdar (military/law) and Amin (revenue) for each Pargana, and a Chief Shiqdar for each Sarkar.

Analytical Breakdown

Logic 1: The system relied on professional bureaucrats and military officers rather than direct personal administration by the King.

Logic 2: This structure was so efficient that Akbar later adopted it as the foundation for the Mughal provincial system.

Conceptual Deep Dive & Logic

"Who were the officials in a Pargana?"

The Pargana was managed by a Shiqdar (military), an Amin (revenue), a Fotedar (treasurer), and Karkuns (clerks).

Examiner's Mindset & Pro-Tip

"Sher Shah's genius lay in his ability to create a 'Scientific Bureaucracy' that survived his own short reign."

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Statements about Sher Shah's administration:1. Empire divided into Sarkars → Parganas.2. He administered them directly without officials.